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I did read that his grave is at Bexleyheath cemetary in Kent. Thought i might like to visit it one day.
Just to save you the trip it's actually in Beckenham. I grew up in Bromley and Mum's funeral was at that Cemetery, just up the road from (fittingly enough given the composer) Elmer's End station. Many trips to Dean Street Records started at that station!
Thanks illustrator. I will edit my post to correct it so error isnt continued.
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Having been forced to do a bit of house-clearing recently, I came across an old issue of Films and Filming magazine which I must have kept because of a letter that appeared in the correspondence page which was sent in by my old friend Bob from Peterborough. Readers must bear in mind that this was before the internet became prevalent in our lives and "snail-mail" was still the way that things were done; that, and actually buying records in shops. Here are Bob's words; on the "letters" page his contribution was headed, LACK OF ATTENTION -
"I am writing to complain about the unworthy treatment delivered by the majority of the nation's cinema critics and movie related periodicals by their mass underestimating and understanding of a fine motion picture. I refer to Douglas Hickox's ZULU DAWN, voted by myself and close friends as the film of 1979. The majority of filmgoers are not at all blinded by phaser-toting supermen or Bergman's depressing social analysis; not even Allen's introverted mumblings beneath a famous skyline can deprive this movie of the tribute it should receive from the only people who really matter, the paying customer who enjoys entertainment regardless of one person's press opinion.
ZULU DAWN suffered from a blatant lack of publicity on all levels. This I find most strange when one considers it's cost of production. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the film contained no pseudo-intellectual claptrap or plastic science-fiction mush, nor forgettable nobodies acting out sexual perversions on valuable British celluloid. There were many fine performances contained within ZULU DAWN. Peter O'Toole, Simon Ward, Sir John Mills, Bob Hoskins, Denholm Elliott, Burt Lancaster all single themselves out in a magnificently mounted movie (photographed by Ousama Rawi).
The events leading up to and the epic disaster of the final battle itself are faultlessly handled with great confidence by Hickox, who superbly offers the moviegoer a fascinating glimpse of one of our past empire's great errors when two thousand of Victoria's Redcoats were defeated by the elements, too vast to comprehend fully, and by a commander totally inept in the face of proud fury, whose only belief is in the fire power of the thin red line, not a thinning red line.
The musical score fits superbly to the majestic visuals and was composed by one of the giants of cinema music, Elmer Bernstein. I only have to recall the pounding martial rhythms as Chelmsford's army crosses the Buffalo River and later, as the Zulu army swarms cross the veldt. But even finer than this is the soaring violins as the British flag descends in slow motion into the river, a great artist personified, his music a rich bonus that must surely emerge on record soon. Or are we soundtrack collectors only to be served with the seemingly endless disco gyrating dirge?
So well done, Tedderwick for the distribution of this impressive movie, six months after it's appointed premiere date, and to Lamitas for the same service to cinemagoers in America, plus a mention to Endfield for his brilliant scenario and the great collaboration with Anthony Storey on the final screenplay.
Somebody should have ensured that public attention was aroused by press publicity. The Battle of Isandhlwana may have been an embarrassment to Queen Victoria's government; this has been repeated by the critics' misunderstanding of it. I only hope the free-minded cinemagoers do not make the same classic mistake."
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Outstanding film and movie score both equal to Zulu . I have been to cinema many times but only once witnessed a sold out audience stand up and applaud at the end . Zulu Dawn was that film.
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Wow!
It's great to see my old review return out of the blue!
I still listen to this score VERY often and the movie is a solid favourite that I continually return to. Zulu Dawn remains one of the most accurate, visceral, detailed and genuinely large-scale depictions of grand and savage battle ever committed to celluloid.
And, of course, Bernstein's score totally exemplifies, celebrates and mourns the bravery, folly and carnage of Isandlhwana.
Wonder why I stopped writing these things? ????????
Cheers
Chris Kilt-Man
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